Automatic feed.



W. K. EDGAR.

AUTOMATIC FEED.

APPLICATION FILED 1120.19, 1913.

1,1 1 8,335. Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

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APPLICATION FILED DEO.19, 1913. 1,1 18,335. Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

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UNITED H snares PATENT OFFIGE.

WILLIAM KERR EDGAR, LAWRENCE, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR TO THE EDGAR STEEL SEAL AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF LAWRENCE, KANSAS.

AUTOMATIC FEED.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Nov, 24,, 1914,,

Application filed December 19, 1913. Serial No. 807,612.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, lVILLIAM KERR EDGAR,

a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Lawrence, in the county of Douglas and State of Kansas, have invented certain, new and useful Improvements in Automatic Feeds, of which the following, together With accompanying drawings, consisting of two sheets, is a complete specification.

My invention relates generally to automatic feeds for machines built for the purpose of cutting, stamping, punching, pressing and bending relative rigid material in strip or strap form, into definite lengths and shapes; but particularly to machines built for the purpose of cutting, stampin punching, pressing and bending steel or other metal in relatively continuous strip, strap or w re form, and of the various sizes capable of such treatment, into such definite lengths and shapes; and has for its objectsthe production and manufacture of an automatic feed ,onthe oscillation, vibration or alternation principle, that shallbe, at once, cheap and easy of construction, attachable to any of the usual or standard cutting, stamping, punching, pressing or bending machines, the dies of which are operated by an eccentric or crank or some similar device, and which shall be adjustable so as to' cut, stamp, punch, press and bend such steel or other metal, into various lengths andshapes without irregularity, or so that each piece will y be of the exact size and shape of every other under a given adjustment. I attain these objects by the combination with the eccentric or crank or other actuating device which operates the dies through the medium of an adjustable walking-beam or levcr-of-thefirst-class, of a carriage or shoe provided with a grip, and which slides backand forth in a frame or run-way provided with grips and trips, and which is in alinement with the dies, the power-arm of said walkingbeam being pivotally connected with said eccentric or crank, through the medium of a pair of arms, and the weight-arm being pivotally articulated, also through the medium of a pair of arms, with said carriage or shoe.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1.represents a front elevation of the device with a strip of metal in place, attached to a machine, the latter being shown only in part carriage I.

resting on them, but adjustably attached to and that part only diagrammatically; Fig. 2 represents the same view of the frame or run-way, and carriage or shoe, on a larger scale; Fig. 3 represents the frame or runway, and carriage or shoe, on the latter scale, when viewed from above; Fig. 4 shows the frame when viewed from the rear or in-take end; and Fig. 5 is a view of the rear or ill? take end of the shoe and a cross-sectional view of the frame or run-way, just back of the shoe. A view of the frame from the {rent end would be generally similar to ig. 4.

The device is made of cast iron and steel,

or other suitable metal or material, and consists of a stationary frame or run-way made up of a cast and milled base A, surmounted longitudinally by two parallel walls 13, grooved on the inside, and terminating in posts C rising therefrom. At each end, between the walls and posts, suitable pieces D are inserted and fastened, for the purpose of elevating the floor of the frame or run-way at its ends, to the height of the floor of the Above these end pieces, and

the walls of the base, are the guide-pieces E, while above these, at the in-take end and on top of the walls, and adjustabl screwed thereto, is the E-Ilike or rear trip and at the sides, and adjust-ably screwed to the base outside the walls, is the forward trip, orpair of trips G. Pivotally mounted in and between the posts or uprights, are the stationary or frame grips H, operating on the valve principle, and consisting of a shaft, coil-spring, and point orfinger. Slidingly mounted in this frame or run-way is the carriage or shoe I, which consists of a cast and milled box open at the top and at both ends, and having its floor extending laterally beyond its walls so as to form tongues to slide in the grooves of the frame or runway. At the rear or in-take end of this carriage or shoe, and pivotally mounted therein, is the seiZing-and-releasing grip J, consisting of a shaft, a coil-spring and a point or finger with cross-Ts; and about midway, or rather nearer its front end, this carriage or shoe is pivotally connected, through the medium of the pair of arms K, with the lower, long, or weight end of the walking-beam L, which in turn is pivotally mounted at its fulcrum on the brace or bracket 0, while the upper short or power end of this walk ing-beam is pivotally and adjustably connected with the eccentric or crank of the stamping machine, or the rim thereof, through the medium of the pair of arms M, the adjustable insert boxing N, and the proj ection or knuckle P.

The same letters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the various views.

it will be observed that, as the walkingbcam L, is actuated by the same eccentric or crank that operates the stamping dies, their vibrations will be absolutely synchronous; and nloreover as the carriage or shoe 1, moves to and fro in the frame or runway, under the impulsion of the oscillating walkingbeam, it will, by means of its grip J, alternately seize and release the strip of metal or other material X, properly in place under the grips and on the floor of the carriage, with the effect of carrying it, length by length, into the machine and under the dies, it being prevented from sliding back with the backward movement of the carriage or shoe by the stationary or frame grips H, the points or edges of whichare sharp so as to slightly out or gouge into the metal or material of which the strip is composed, and give them a kind of ratchet hold.

The larger adjustment of the devicethe adjustment namely, which, for example, determines whether the pieces shall be two or ten or some other number of inches long,is effected by lengthening or shortening the upper or power arm of the walking-beam L,

by moving the insert boxing N up or clownwith its set-screw; and as the power-arm of this beam is relatively short, and the weightarm long, it will appear that a very considerable change in the amplitude or the carriage or shoe will be produced by only a slight change in the position of this insert boxing. But the more delicate and accurate adjustmentthe adjustment namely, which determines that each piece shall be exactly two or ten, or some other number of inches in length, no more and no less, is regulated by the trips F and G, and the character of the point of the carriage grip J. These trips are, of course, adjusted so as to correspond generally to the amplitude of the carriage or shoe in any given case, as determined by the adjustment of the walking-beam, but are always placed a little closer together and within this amplitude, and exactly the length of the desired pieces apart, so that the carriage and its grip J, will always seize and release the strip at points this precise distance from each other; and also for the purpose of keeping the point or edge of this grip off the strip X, pending the interval of play, or transfer of the pressure at the several pivots from one side of their bearings to the other, t the end of each alternation. It will be observed that, as the finger or point of this grip J, on the backward swing of the carriage, reaches the bit or tongue of the rear trip F, which is curved downward so as nearly, but not quite, to touch the strip X, it will, as the carriage proceeds a little farther, be lifted off the strip and slide up on this bit, where it will remain until the carriage or shoe starts on its forward swing, whereupon it will gently slide off said bit and down upon the strip X, and seize hold of it precisely at the tip of this tongue or bit, and carry it forward until the cross-Ts of this grip J, strike the forward trips G, whereupon the point of J will again belifted ofi the strip, and the latter, instantly released; and, as the carriage moves on a little farther forward, the surface of the forward trips G, being preferably also curved, the cross-Ts will gently slide down under same and there again remain, pending the retransfer of the pivot pressure, and until the carriage begins another backward swing, whereupon the point of J will again be gently deposited on the strip to slide back on it, and up on the bit or tongue of the rear trip for a new bite, of the exact length of the preceding. And in order to insure the release of the strip by the carriage and grip J, at the precise point of contact with the forward trip G, the point or edge of this grip J, is dulled, blunted, or even rounded, so as to give it only a dent or friction hold and prevent its seizing a ratchet hold, as the effect of the latter, under any considerable speed, would be to slightly and irregularly' toss the strip X forward at the instant of release.

It is, of course, understood that modifications may be resorted to, such as omitting one of the stationary or frame grips, or one of the forward trips, and making the latters finger L-shaped instead of T-shaped, or omitting the projection or knuckle at the rim of the eccentric and connecting the arms at the power end of the walking-beam directly with the eccentric, or omitting the facilities for adjustment or some of them, but, without materially departing from the scope, principle, purpose and spirit of my invention, or resulting in anything but substantial equivalents; and I expressly include all such modifications herein.

Having thus described my invention I claim: 1

1. In an automatic feed, the combination with the actuating device of the machine, through the medium of a walking-beam and connecting arms, of a reciprocating carriage, oscillating in a frame provided with grips and trips, the said carriage being provided with a seizing-and-releasing grip, and regulated and controlledby said trips.

21 In an automatic feed for feeding material in strip form into a machine, the combination with the actuating device of the machine, through the medium of a walking-beam and connecting arms, of a reciprocating carriage oscillating in a stationary frame, said frame being provided with holding grips and with guides and trips, and said carriage being provided with a seizing-and-releasing grip regulated and controlled by said trips.

3. In an automatic feed, on the vibration principle, for feeding material in relatively continuous strip form into a machine, the combination with the actuating device of the machine, through the medium of an adjustable walking-beam and pivotally connecting arms, of a carriage oscillating in a stationary frame, said frame being provided with adjustable guides and trips and with adjustable and spring-impelled holding grips, and said carriage being provided with an adjustable and spring-impelled seizing-and-releasing grip, regulated and controlled by said trips.

4:. In an automatic feed, on the reciprocation principle, for feeding material in relatively continuous strip form into a stamping machine, the combination with the actuatingdevice of the machine, through the medium of an adjustable walking-beam and pivotally connecting arms, of a carriage oscillating in a stationary frame, said frame being provided at the ends with adjustable guides, and with adjustable and springimpelled holding grips operating, in conjunction with the floor of said frame, on the valve principle, and with an adjustable rear-lower and a fore-upper trip, and said carriage being provided with a spring-impelled seizing-and-releasing grip operating, in conjunction with the floor of said carriage, on the valve principle, and regulated and controlled by said trips.

WILLIAM KERR EDGAR. Witnesses:

GEO. B. EDGAR, Rosa ROBINSON.

Copieaoi this patentmay be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the, Commissioner of I'atents,

Washington, D. G. 

